1. What are the effects of using multiple first person points of view?
Using multiple first person points of view paints the picture of each character from a different perspective. Through the narration of a character, like Waverly, we see how she views the world and others living in it. On the other hand, when a different character, like June, narrates 'Best Quality,' Waverly's nastiness becomes apparent, quickly. Throughout each story, the multiple first person points of view pieces the characters' qualities together. Another advantage of first person point of view is providing a limited view, making the the reader infer (Morency and Tanudjojo, 2009).
2. How does Tan use multiple setting in the novel? Think about character, plot and thematic development.
Multiple settings in the story come from China and America, throughout the 20th century; a revolutionary period in the East and West. The multiple settings create a diverse environment that challenge each character. For instance, China is where the mothers' strengths become apparent, and vice versa in America. The settings affect the plot by building a bridge between East and West, allowing the stories to move between the two places. Along with character and plot, the multiple settings of JLC help build the theme of fulfilling the search for identity. Only with a combination of East and West can the daughters of the story feel complete (Morency, 2009).
3. How many story lines does the novelist develop?
Tan develops a storyline in each chapter, for each character, and between each daughter and mother, resulting in 28 stories. Tan's reason for doing this is to expand themes and motifs constantly and in different forms (Morency, 2009).
Amy Tan develops eight story lines--one for each main character. These story lines are intertwined by the Joy Luck Club and the relationships between the mothers and daughters to develop themes that transcend Asian-American life.
4. What are the major conflicts in the plot?
Two major conflicts in the plot are understanding the mothers and finding love. The entire novel is based on the differences and subsequently followed similarities between mother and daughter. The struggle to find these similarities branch off communication barriers, cultural barriers, and a basic misunderstanding of the mothers. Finding love is also a major conflict, because all of the characters except for two, Ying Ying and Suyuan, have antagonistic husbands. They're husbands provide a state of turbulence for the other six characters, but like most conflicts, they result in a changed person, a better person.
5. How does the novelist use time? Is the story told in sequence or out of sequence? Does the writer use flashbacks?
6. How are the characters organized? What is the effect of this organization?
7. Are there crises within the chapters as the story builds to the climax? What is they're effect?
8. Does the novel use a traditional plot structure? If not, what is the plot structure of the novel?
The novel doesn't follow the traditional plot structure of a sequential rise and fall. Instead, the JLC can be represented in a mosaic composed of many interlocking squares. Each square connects storys and lives of each character.
9. What patterns do you notice in the plot structure?
The plot structure of The Joy Luck Club is unique in that, despite being told in a nonlinear fashion, one can find symmetry and cyclical patterns within it. The first section of the book is told by the mothers (with June taking her deceased mother's place) and describes their childhood in China. The second section is narrated by the daughters, chronicling their childhood in America. The third section is again narrated by the daughters as they reach critical points in their adult lives in America. The fourth section then returns to being told by the mothers (June once again taking her mother's place) as they revisit aspects of their young adulthood in China and attempt to guide their daughters down the right path, providing deeper insight into the hopes and intentions they brought with them to America. The vignettes that foreshadow the events of each section also complete their own cycle, starting from a young woman journeying to America with hopes for a better future to a mother cautioning her young daughter, then continuing to a mother wishing for a grandchild, and finally concluding with a grandmother imparting her hopes and wisdom to her granddaughter.
10. How does the motif of the compass link to the plot structure?
Edwin Z, Question 10: A simple compass usually contains the directions, North, West, East, and South. The plot is formatted in the same way; it's formatted into four different sections with four different stories. The story starts off with June in American but advances to the mother's stories in China. Then it's back west when the daughters share their stories in the narrative point of view. Finally, June goes on a trip to China in order to share stories about Suyuan Woo with her twin half sisters. Like a compass, the plot structure has a starting point and advances in one main direction, east. It's about discovering one's true self through life experience and June achieves this glory of life when she finally meets up with her relatives in China. The compass can be interpreted in many different ways but one of the messages Tan implies through Joy Luck Club is about being globally minded; like a compass.
11. How is the number 4 significant to the novel?
The number four is significant for the novel because it represents both positive and negative ideas. Furthermore, the number four provides a method of organization for the plot structure. Through its positive aspects, the number four embodies harmony and completion, specifically towards the mahjong table. This positive spin on the motif also aids the development of one of the novel's many themes, a complete identity. In contrast, four means death. The death of the fourth son in the Hsu family at the age of four is the most assertive example in the book, but many, less visible signs follow (Rose has to sign the divorce papers in 4 different places). FInally, the number four organizes the plot into four sections, with four chapters, and four narrators each. In this sense, four is used physically, possibly representing balance (yin/yang).
12. Although there are 8 main characters, could you identify one protagonist? why (yes, who) or why not?
Edwin Z, Question 12: June Woo stands out throughout the story in many ways. References to June can be found in many of the narratives; even without her presence. She is the link between mothers and daughters in the book; mainly due to her mother's passing. Many of Amy Tan's important moral stories are narrated through June Woo, including 'Two Kinds' and 'Best Quality'. Furthermore, June can be compared to a hero in this story as she goes through a journey of life; discovering one's true self. But most of all, she starts the novel with a story about her mother and ends it with her fulfilling her mother's wish; allowing her to be the most memorable character.
Antonio Cardoso
Reflexion Sheet:
1. The effect of using multiple person points of view is that you can see how one of the characters feels about him and how others feel about them. One example of this is the relationship between Waverly and Lindo. Waverly’s mother thing that bragging her daughter is being supportive. But Waverly does not like it, and she thinks that her mother might not be proud of her because she always says lose less win more.
2. Tan uses setting in a very cleaver way in the book. She starts with the four mothers, still kids and infants, on the begging of their journey and their first stories. They are in China, mostly all before the Japanese war, but some stories in a later period, with the Japanese war occurring. Then after she has introduces all four mothers, she introduces all four daughter. Again they start young, but not in China, in America, in San Francisco at around the 1940-50s. Again the daughters are little, but they are growing up with a totally different culture, growing up in American schools and living American culture and speaking perfect English. Then she starts another chapter, with again the daughters stories but much older in around their 30s and 40s, in the 1980s. They face conflicts with their mothers and husbands and divorces. Then the last part of the book is the mothers again. But now it is different, it starts on America at around the 1970s to 80s, then flashbacks occur and the story goes back all the way to the 20s all the way to the 40s, in China, retailing the mothers stories. This is all true except for June. Her first story is in the 1980s in America. Then it flashbacks to her as a teenager in the 1960s. Then again she is a grown adult on her second to last story. And finally on the last story of the book, which is set on China but in the 80s, the book ends.
3. The novel has 7 story lines. 3 mothers, Ying Yings, Lindos, An-Meis. And the four daughters. Jing-mei, Waverly, Lena and Rose.
4. The major conflicts in the plot are between each daughter and their mother. There is also how June is trying to not except that she is growing into her mother and her Chinese heritage. There are also the conflicts of the daughters with their husbands divorcing men.
5. The novelist uses time to create differences in both the mothers and daughters childhoods. The story is in a sequence, which is that the mothers are little, then daughters are little and grow, then mothers grow. The writer uses flashbacks a lot. Maybe for the daughters describing their childhoods and the mothers the same.
6. The chapters are organized in a way that it is mother, daughter, daughter, mother. And there are 4 chapters in each big chapter. Meaning that one little chapter for character. This affects the reader because it then makes the reader attracted to the characters, making he or she wanting to read more to find out what is going to happen.
7. There are crisis between chapters. You can notice that the characters start to find conflicts within themselves. Trying to figure out for example what is wrong with Lenas marriage, she starts to suffer about that. And her mother does not understand why she can’t talk to her, but she can to a shrink. It attracts the reader, because it creates drama within the book.
8. The novel does not use traditional plot structures. It is more like one plot to each characters story. And each character also has their individual plot structure thought each of its chapters. So for example. June has a plot structure for all hr stories combined, but each story also has its own plot structure to it.
9. I think that every little story, and even the book, is a giant flash back. The story starts with the narrator already grown and then he or she mentions something and a flashback begins. It is just like the book. Because June starts the book by talking about her dead mother, then the rest of the book is a giant flashback of older stories then the story comes back and June is on her way to China.
10. The motif of the compass links to the plot structure in a traveling way. The mothers go from the east, which is China, to the west, which is America. And are still livings with old Chinese culture. While the daughters are the opposite. They start in the west, which is America, and they change through out the book to their Chinese side, their east. And one daughter does not only make her journey of culture, but June also goes to China.
11. The number 4 is significant to the plot structure in many ways. There are 4 mothers and 4 daughters; there are 4 chapters with 4 stories. There are some bad things related to the number 4, like how Bing, Roses bother, dies and he is the fourth child. And worse of all is that the number 4 means death. But there are also some good things about it, like the Mah Jong table, it has 4 sides, creating balance, or how there are 4 sides to a compass.
12. I think that June could be a main character. I think this because she is in 4 stories. She also has to narrate for her mom as well. She is the one that goes to the biggest spiritual journey, finding her true identity, and she goes to China in the end and realizes that her and her two sisters make her mother. Also she is the one who starts and ends the book.
Tracey Zhang
1. By using multiple first person points of view in the novel, Tan allows the reader to have a greater understanding of the conflicts between mother and daughter. The novel begins from the mothers’ perspectives, showing the experiences they went through as kids. Later on, in the daughters’ stories, this allows the reader to comprehend and understand why the mother acts the way she is, unlike the daughters who have not had the experience. This allows us to not only sympathize with the daughters in their stories, but also the mothers.
2. Multiple settings are used in The Joy Luck Club to create the backdrop of the conflict. The conflict of mother-daughter relationships and miscommunications occur because the setting shows to have greatly affected the traits and character of each individual. For example, each of the mothers grew up during 1920-1930s China during a time when many women were oppressed. On the other hand, the daughters grew up in 1950s San Francisco. The difference in geography is exemplified later on in the difference in their personalities. The daughters have all lost their connection to Chinese culture due to growing up in America. There is also trouble communicating between mother and daughter due to the difference in language and culture. Oftentimes, the daughters have trouble understanding the intentions and meanings their mother tries to convey and interpret their actions offensively. The difference in cultures also leads to the daughters attempting to assimilate into mainstream American culture and forgetting about Chinese culture, as well as building a resentment towards their mothers for being embarrassing.
3. In the Joy Luck Club, four stories revolving around each of the four mothers and daughters are told. Each story is like a cycle, beginning with the childhood of the mothers. Starting with their childhoods allows the reader to understand the events that impacted their lives and draw connections with their actions later on. After learning about the mothers’ childhoods, the daughters’ stories begin, detailing their childhood. The perspective in which they view their mothers from can be seen from these stories. Yet unlike the daughters, the reader has an insight to the lives of the mothers and knows that the narrator may be unreliable. The next section deals with present-day issues that the daughters are facing. Their inability to communicate or even trust their mothers as well as many problems they currently face, stem from their childhood experiences, which the reader understands. Later on, the daughters begin to understand their mothers and their good intentions. The mothers invoke their past experiences to help the daughters solve the problems they currently face, bringing the reader back to their later childhood, finally allowing the reader and the daughters to fully understand the mothers.
4. Major conflicts in the plot result from the miscommunications and misunderstandings occurring between mother and daughter. Miscommunications between mother and daughter lead to the daughter judging the mother as being unintelligent and cannot possibly understand the experiences she is going through. Language and cultural barriers also create misunderstandings, such as Waverly believing her mother to always show off and brag about her, when in reality, Lindo is imply proud of her daughter.
5. The novelist uses time to introduce the main characters and their problems at different times in the novel. The novel is told out of sequence with different conflicts and characters occurring at the same time. This gives a greater focus to the themes presented in each of the stories rather than the plot of each individual story. Flashback is constantly used, such as when the older mothers and daughters look back on their childhood and important events leading to their development are shown.
6. The chapters are organized so that each of the three mothers (and Jing-Mei telling Suyuan’s story) or daughters tells a story in one section. This organization allows a connection to be made from each of the different stories and conflicts and be developed into a larger theme.
7. Yes there are crises within chapters, such as when Ying-Ying falls off the boat in “The Moon Lady”. These crises show that a huge change and impact is about to be made on the characters, because this book is about how the characters grew up and the events that affected them up to the point where they are young adults. This creates suspense as the reader ponders more into the lives of each character, which they are only initially given small snippets of.
8. No, it does not use traditional plot structure. The plot structure Tan uses is like a mosaic, consisting of small, individual stories which all build up to a larger overarching theme.
9. In the plot structure, the mother’s childhood stories and experiences are usually begun, followed by the experiences of the daughter’s childhood. These two sections greatly develop the characters and lead into the third section, which is told in the perspective of the daughter and contain their present-day conflicts. The reader easily understands the cause of these conflicts due to their understanding of the personalities and problems the daughters had when they were young. The mothers then draw upon their own experiences and use their stories to help the daughters solve their own problems.
10. The motif of the compass links to the plot structure because there are four cardinal directions. The directions of east and west represent the culture clashes between east and west, as the mothers were raised in China (east) attempt to reconcile and understand their daughters who were raised in America (west). It also represents a circular journey, beginning in the east when the mothers journey from China to America. The daughters then journey from the east to the west to learn more about themselves and their heritage, fixing the imbalance within.
11. The number four gives both good and bad connotations, such as the elements and death. This shows Tan’s portrayal of balance, such as when four players, representing the four directions of a compass, are needed for the mah jong game. The notion of balance is an element, which the four daughters are missing. This ties into the theme of the story in that life contains both joy and tragedy. Even the harsher parts must be embraced in order to be balanced and whole. The daughters do not accept their Chinese heritage and is therefore unable to be content with themselves.
12. Jing-Mei is the protagonist of the story because each of the other stories helps to develop Jing-Mei’s story. Unlike the other daughters, Jing-Mei is the only daughter whose mother passed away. Therefore, she must take her own journey to finding out who her mother is, rather than the mother guiding her. More stories—one in each section, are from her perspective, while the other character only receives two chapters each. Her stories also both begin and end the book, giving a sense of completion more so to her tale.
Using multiple first person points of view paints the picture of each character from a different perspective. Through the narration of a character, like Waverly, we see how she views the world and others living in it. On the other hand, when a different character, like June, narrates 'Best Quality,' Waverly's nastiness becomes apparent, quickly. Throughout each story, the multiple first person points of view pieces the characters' qualities together. Another advantage of first person point of view is providing a limited view, making the the reader infer (Morency and Tanudjojo, 2009).
2. How does Tan use multiple setting in the novel? Think about character, plot and thematic development.
Multiple settings in the story come from China and America, throughout the 20th century; a revolutionary period in the East and West. The multiple settings create a diverse environment that challenge each character. For instance, China is where the mothers' strengths become apparent, and vice versa in America. The settings affect the plot by building a bridge between East and West, allowing the stories to move between the two places. Along with character and plot, the multiple settings of JLC help build the theme of fulfilling the search for identity. Only with a combination of East and West can the daughters of the story feel complete (Morency, 2009).
3. How many story lines does the novelist develop?
Tan develops a storyline in each chapter, for each character, and between each daughter and mother, resulting in 28 stories. Tan's reason for doing this is to expand themes and motifs constantly and in different forms (Morency, 2009).
Amy Tan develops eight story lines--one for each main character. These story lines are intertwined by the Joy Luck Club and the relationships between the mothers and daughters to develop themes that transcend Asian-American life.
4. What are the major conflicts in the plot?
Two major conflicts in the plot are understanding the mothers and finding love. The entire novel is based on the differences and subsequently followed similarities between mother and daughter. The struggle to find these similarities branch off communication barriers, cultural barriers, and a basic misunderstanding of the mothers. Finding love is also a major conflict, because all of the characters except for two, Ying Ying and Suyuan, have antagonistic husbands. They're husbands provide a state of turbulence for the other six characters, but like most conflicts, they result in a changed person, a better person.
5. How does the novelist use time? Is the story told in sequence or out of sequence? Does the writer use flashbacks?
6. How are the characters organized? What is the effect of this organization?
7. Are there crises within the chapters as the story builds to the climax? What is they're effect?
8. Does the novel use a traditional plot structure? If not, what is the plot structure of the novel?
The novel doesn't follow the traditional plot structure of a sequential rise and fall. Instead, the JLC can be represented in a mosaic composed of many interlocking squares. Each square connects storys and lives of each character.
9. What patterns do you notice in the plot structure?
The plot structure of The Joy Luck Club is unique in that, despite being told in a nonlinear fashion, one can find symmetry and cyclical patterns within it. The first section of the book is told by the mothers (with June taking her deceased mother's place) and describes their childhood in China. The second section is narrated by the daughters, chronicling their childhood in America. The third section is again narrated by the daughters as they reach critical points in their adult lives in America. The fourth section then returns to being told by the mothers (June once again taking her mother's place) as they revisit aspects of their young adulthood in China and attempt to guide their daughters down the right path, providing deeper insight into the hopes and intentions they brought with them to America. The vignettes that foreshadow the events of each section also complete their own cycle, starting from a young woman journeying to America with hopes for a better future to a mother cautioning her young daughter, then continuing to a mother wishing for a grandchild, and finally concluding with a grandmother imparting her hopes and wisdom to her granddaughter.
10. How does the motif of the compass link to the plot structure?
Edwin Z, Question 10: A simple compass usually contains the directions, North, West, East, and South. The plot is formatted in the same way; it's formatted into four different sections with four different stories. The story starts off with June in American but advances to the mother's stories in China. Then it's back west when the daughters share their stories in the narrative point of view. Finally, June goes on a trip to China in order to share stories about Suyuan Woo with her twin half sisters. Like a compass, the plot structure has a starting point and advances in one main direction, east. It's about discovering one's true self through life experience and June achieves this glory of life when she finally meets up with her relatives in China. The compass can be interpreted in many different ways but one of the messages Tan implies through Joy Luck Club is about being globally minded; like a compass.
11. How is the number 4 significant to the novel?
The number four is significant for the novel because it represents both positive and negative ideas. Furthermore, the number four provides a method of organization for the plot structure. Through its positive aspects, the number four embodies harmony and completion, specifically towards the mahjong table. This positive spin on the motif also aids the development of one of the novel's many themes, a complete identity. In contrast, four means death. The death of the fourth son in the Hsu family at the age of four is the most assertive example in the book, but many, less visible signs follow (Rose has to sign the divorce papers in 4 different places). FInally, the number four organizes the plot into four sections, with four chapters, and four narrators each. In this sense, four is used physically, possibly representing balance (yin/yang).
12. Although there are 8 main characters, could you identify one protagonist? why (yes, who) or why not?
Edwin Z, Question 12: June Woo stands out throughout the story in many ways. References to June can be found in many of the narratives; even without her presence. She is the link between mothers and daughters in the book; mainly due to her mother's passing. Many of Amy Tan's important moral stories are narrated through June Woo, including 'Two Kinds' and 'Best Quality'. Furthermore, June can be compared to a hero in this story as she goes through a journey of life; discovering one's true self. But most of all, she starts the novel with a story about her mother and ends it with her fulfilling her mother's wish; allowing her to be the most memorable character.
Antonio Cardoso
Reflexion Sheet:
1. The effect of using multiple person points of view is that you can see how one of the characters feels about him and how others feel about them. One example of this is the relationship between Waverly and Lindo. Waverly’s mother thing that bragging her daughter is being supportive. But Waverly does not like it, and she thinks that her mother might not be proud of her because she always says lose less win more.
2. Tan uses setting in a very cleaver way in the book. She starts with the four mothers, still kids and infants, on the begging of their journey and their first stories. They are in China, mostly all before the Japanese war, but some stories in a later period, with the Japanese war occurring. Then after she has introduces all four mothers, she introduces all four daughter. Again they start young, but not in China, in America, in San Francisco at around the 1940-50s. Again the daughters are little, but they are growing up with a totally different culture, growing up in American schools and living American culture and speaking perfect English. Then she starts another chapter, with again the daughters stories but much older in around their 30s and 40s, in the 1980s. They face conflicts with their mothers and husbands and divorces. Then the last part of the book is the mothers again. But now it is different, it starts on America at around the 1970s to 80s, then flashbacks occur and the story goes back all the way to the 20s all the way to the 40s, in China, retailing the mothers stories. This is all true except for June. Her first story is in the 1980s in America. Then it flashbacks to her as a teenager in the 1960s. Then again she is a grown adult on her second to last story. And finally on the last story of the book, which is set on China but in the 80s, the book ends.
3. The novel has 7 story lines. 3 mothers, Ying Yings, Lindos, An-Meis. And the four daughters. Jing-mei, Waverly, Lena and Rose.
4. The major conflicts in the plot are between each daughter and their mother. There is also how June is trying to not except that she is growing into her mother and her Chinese heritage. There are also the conflicts of the daughters with their husbands divorcing men.
5. The novelist uses time to create differences in both the mothers and daughters childhoods. The story is in a sequence, which is that the mothers are little, then daughters are little and grow, then mothers grow. The writer uses flashbacks a lot. Maybe for the daughters describing their childhoods and the mothers the same.
6. The chapters are organized in a way that it is mother, daughter, daughter, mother. And there are 4 chapters in each big chapter. Meaning that one little chapter for character. This affects the reader because it then makes the reader attracted to the characters, making he or she wanting to read more to find out what is going to happen.
7. There are crisis between chapters. You can notice that the characters start to find conflicts within themselves. Trying to figure out for example what is wrong with Lenas marriage, she starts to suffer about that. And her mother does not understand why she can’t talk to her, but she can to a shrink. It attracts the reader, because it creates drama within the book.
8. The novel does not use traditional plot structures. It is more like one plot to each characters story. And each character also has their individual plot structure thought each of its chapters. So for example. June has a plot structure for all hr stories combined, but each story also has its own plot structure to it.
9. I think that every little story, and even the book, is a giant flash back. The story starts with the narrator already grown and then he or she mentions something and a flashback begins. It is just like the book. Because June starts the book by talking about her dead mother, then the rest of the book is a giant flashback of older stories then the story comes back and June is on her way to China.
10. The motif of the compass links to the plot structure in a traveling way. The mothers go from the east, which is China, to the west, which is America. And are still livings with old Chinese culture. While the daughters are the opposite. They start in the west, which is America, and they change through out the book to their Chinese side, their east. And one daughter does not only make her journey of culture, but June also goes to China.
11. The number 4 is significant to the plot structure in many ways. There are 4 mothers and 4 daughters; there are 4 chapters with 4 stories. There are some bad things related to the number 4, like how Bing, Roses bother, dies and he is the fourth child. And worse of all is that the number 4 means death. But there are also some good things about it, like the Mah Jong table, it has 4 sides, creating balance, or how there are 4 sides to a compass.
12. I think that June could be a main character. I think this because she is in 4 stories. She also has to narrate for her mom as well. She is the one that goes to the biggest spiritual journey, finding her true identity, and she goes to China in the end and realizes that her and her two sisters make her mother. Also she is the one who starts and ends the book.
Tracey Zhang
1. By using multiple first person points of view in the novel, Tan allows the reader to have a greater understanding of the conflicts between mother and daughter. The novel begins from the mothers’ perspectives, showing the experiences they went through as kids. Later on, in the daughters’ stories, this allows the reader to comprehend and understand why the mother acts the way she is, unlike the daughters who have not had the experience. This allows us to not only sympathize with the daughters in their stories, but also the mothers.
2. Multiple settings are used in The Joy Luck Club to create the backdrop of the conflict. The conflict of mother-daughter relationships and miscommunications occur because the setting shows to have greatly affected the traits and character of each individual. For example, each of the mothers grew up during 1920-1930s China during a time when many women were oppressed. On the other hand, the daughters grew up in 1950s San Francisco. The difference in geography is exemplified later on in the difference in their personalities. The daughters have all lost their connection to Chinese culture due to growing up in America. There is also trouble communicating between mother and daughter due to the difference in language and culture. Oftentimes, the daughters have trouble understanding the intentions and meanings their mother tries to convey and interpret their actions offensively. The difference in cultures also leads to the daughters attempting to assimilate into mainstream American culture and forgetting about Chinese culture, as well as building a resentment towards their mothers for being embarrassing.
3. In the Joy Luck Club, four stories revolving around each of the four mothers and daughters are told. Each story is like a cycle, beginning with the childhood of the mothers. Starting with their childhoods allows the reader to understand the events that impacted their lives and draw connections with their actions later on. After learning about the mothers’ childhoods, the daughters’ stories begin, detailing their childhood. The perspective in which they view their mothers from can be seen from these stories. Yet unlike the daughters, the reader has an insight to the lives of the mothers and knows that the narrator may be unreliable. The next section deals with present-day issues that the daughters are facing. Their inability to communicate or even trust their mothers as well as many problems they currently face, stem from their childhood experiences, which the reader understands. Later on, the daughters begin to understand their mothers and their good intentions. The mothers invoke their past experiences to help the daughters solve the problems they currently face, bringing the reader back to their later childhood, finally allowing the reader and the daughters to fully understand the mothers.
4. Major conflicts in the plot result from the miscommunications and misunderstandings occurring between mother and daughter. Miscommunications between mother and daughter lead to the daughter judging the mother as being unintelligent and cannot possibly understand the experiences she is going through. Language and cultural barriers also create misunderstandings, such as Waverly believing her mother to always show off and brag about her, when in reality, Lindo is imply proud of her daughter.
5. The novelist uses time to introduce the main characters and their problems at different times in the novel. The novel is told out of sequence with different conflicts and characters occurring at the same time. This gives a greater focus to the themes presented in each of the stories rather than the plot of each individual story. Flashback is constantly used, such as when the older mothers and daughters look back on their childhood and important events leading to their development are shown.
6. The chapters are organized so that each of the three mothers (and Jing-Mei telling Suyuan’s story) or daughters tells a story in one section. This organization allows a connection to be made from each of the different stories and conflicts and be developed into a larger theme.
7. Yes there are crises within chapters, such as when Ying-Ying falls off the boat in “The Moon Lady”. These crises show that a huge change and impact is about to be made on the characters, because this book is about how the characters grew up and the events that affected them up to the point where they are young adults. This creates suspense as the reader ponders more into the lives of each character, which they are only initially given small snippets of.
8. No, it does not use traditional plot structure. The plot structure Tan uses is like a mosaic, consisting of small, individual stories which all build up to a larger overarching theme.
9. In the plot structure, the mother’s childhood stories and experiences are usually begun, followed by the experiences of the daughter’s childhood. These two sections greatly develop the characters and lead into the third section, which is told in the perspective of the daughter and contain their present-day conflicts. The reader easily understands the cause of these conflicts due to their understanding of the personalities and problems the daughters had when they were young. The mothers then draw upon their own experiences and use their stories to help the daughters solve their own problems.
10. The motif of the compass links to the plot structure because there are four cardinal directions. The directions of east and west represent the culture clashes between east and west, as the mothers were raised in China (east) attempt to reconcile and understand their daughters who were raised in America (west). It also represents a circular journey, beginning in the east when the mothers journey from China to America. The daughters then journey from the east to the west to learn more about themselves and their heritage, fixing the imbalance within.
11. The number four gives both good and bad connotations, such as the elements and death. This shows Tan’s portrayal of balance, such as when four players, representing the four directions of a compass, are needed for the mah jong game. The notion of balance is an element, which the four daughters are missing. This ties into the theme of the story in that life contains both joy and tragedy. Even the harsher parts must be embraced in order to be balanced and whole. The daughters do not accept their Chinese heritage and is therefore unable to be content with themselves.
12. Jing-Mei is the protagonist of the story because each of the other stories helps to develop Jing-Mei’s story. Unlike the other daughters, Jing-Mei is the only daughter whose mother passed away. Therefore, she must take her own journey to finding out who her mother is, rather than the mother guiding her. More stories—one in each section, are from her perspective, while the other character only receives two chapters each. Her stories also both begin and end the book, giving a sense of completion more so to her tale.